I know what it feels like for a girl. Really, I do. Before my best friend Liana gave birth to my goddaughter, Aly, I accompanied her each morning for eight consecutive weekends to childbirth classes at San Antonio. I never realized being a mother was so tough until after I learned how to change a diaper, bathe the child properly, and know how and what to feed a baby. We were also taught what to do when the baby is about to pop. Luckily, Liana’s US-based husband flew in just in time for the delivery.
Some mothers and mothers-to-be may not be so fortunate when it comes to being exposed to anything related to childbirth or child-rearing. But thanks to two innovative women, they don’t have to face a new chapter of their lives totally clueless about it.
A Website Is Born
Moms and yayas were taught how to prepare healthier variations of grown up food like fried rice, vegetable soup, and tomato and zucchini tortilla. Photo by Sharon Agoncillo-Galang
Launched in March 2011, Glamomamas.com is the brainchild of new moms Amanda Griffin-Jacob and Nicole Jacinto, who thought it would be helpful to put up a site that caters to mothers. “I’m a new mum and I’m always seeking information about everything kid-related,” says Amanda. “I have so many delights, concerns and uncertainties and I always try to be as prepared as possible. Something that has really helped me in my new role (as mom to one year old Kieran) has been sharing and connecting with other new and also more seasoned mothers.”
Glamomamas is more than a one-stop resource for mothers. “The site is a platform for moms to meet and interact with one another,” shares Nicole. “My daughter Sofia is only two and a half, so I’m really just starting my journey as a mother. Given my newbie status, it helps me to know what other moms are doing. And I love hearing their stories. When they talk about their daily struggles, it reminds me that I’m not alone and that it’s okay to make mistakes.”
Amanda has her own section in the site called Mummy’s Yummies where she talks about her adventures as a transglobal mom, shuttling between her homes in Manila and Hongkong. While Nicole narrates her challenges as a working mom trying to find that perfect balance between motherhood, career, and “me” time in Diapers and Deadlines.
”Another thing unique to the site is that you hear the voices of so many mothers,” continues Nicole. “We try to get a variety of moms from different fields to contribute so that readers are provided with a rich slew of information. They can choose whatever they think is relevant to them at their particular stage of motherhood.”
The website has a resident mommy blogger on board, Juana Manahan-Yupangco, who writes informative yet humorous accounts on her own experiences as a new mom, including breastfeeding, the importance of looking good during and after the pregnancy, and tips on what to pack for the baby in the event of an earthquake.
“I think it’s important to gather different opinions and then adapt and apply to your particular situation. Everybody is different,” says Amanda. Nicole adds that you don’t need to know every single thing about being a mom even before your baby comes out of your tummy. “I’ve met some moms, myself included, who almost seem like they’re cramming for a big test. If I could go through it all over again, I’d be more relaxed, less frantic, and would probably spend more time at the salon getting my nails done!”
Mom’s The Word
Last year, Glam-O-Mamas launched Stork Exchange, which was inspired by an eco-friendly and fun idea of swapping and recycling almost-new baby items among moms. It was an instant hit with the moms in attendance that clamored for an encore.
Recently, they teamed up with Tiny Spoon and held nutritional cooking classes for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers with chefs Rebecca Disini-Gomez and Tina Trillana-Lagdameo. The first of several training modules, the chefs covered the importance of good nutrition in children’s development, and gave guidelines for making healthy food choices and preparation of nutritious meals that the whole family will love to eat.
With Glamomamas.com, being a mom shouldn’t be just the best job in the world, but the most fun and easiest.
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For more information, log on to www.glamomamas.com. You can also follow them on Twitter @glamomamas and Like Glam-O-Mamas in Facebook.
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Alexei blogs at www.allthatshnazz.wordpress.com and tweets@alexeivee.